My short talk from last night's Evensong, which was part of our harvest celebration. All info about and worship material from the Arthur Rank Centre can be found here:
‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’
We’ve probably all heard those words hundreds of times. It seems to be a part of scripture that comes into my head or my path almost daily. That might partly be to do with the nature of my work- that I often interact with people needing to hand their burdens over to someone else or that on most days, if you asked me how I feel at the end of a day my reply would be “weary”.
Jesus offers us spiritual rest, but it seems appropriate, on this day where we’ve offered up our harvest thanksgiving, that we think of those in need of physical rest, those who work around the world but also much closer to home to produce the harvest we praise God for.
Some of you will know that until pretty recent times my family were farmers- right here in Flixton- for generations. As a child most of my time was either spent on my grandad’s smallholding or visiting the farming friends of my parents and grandparents, mostly around Cheshire. My brother worked in agricultural machinery for many years and still has strong links to the farming community of the rural village in which he lives.
Issues within the industry remain close to my family’s heart, whether it be fair prices for milk and lamb, animal welfare as more intensive farming methods dominate the more traditional, or the overworking of the land leading to poor quality top soil. There are many burdens for today’s farmer.
2 years ago when visiting the Romiley Young Farmer’s Show I came across the work of The Arthur Rank Centre. Since 1972 The ARC, an ecumenical Christian charity, has served both the spiritual and practical needs of the rural community through a programme of community and social projects, resourcing and training. The Centre’s not just a building but an enduring symbol of faith in the countryside.
They’re the home of the National Rural Offices for the Church of England, Methodist and United Reformed Church; and also the hub for the church network of Rural Officers and Agricultural Chaplains. Their focus is to support and strengthen the UK’s 15,000 rural churches, so they can respond positively to change and impact the communities they serve
As well as spiritual support and chaplaincy they’re out there offering very real and very practical help, such as their Germinate Enterprise, which is a programme designed totackle hidden rural poverty, retain working age and young people in villages, assist farm diversification, take advantage of high speed rural broadband as it becomes available, benefit existing businesses and use the business skills within congregations.
What I would like to share with you is a litany for agriculture from the ARC, based on Psalm 136:
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
Give thanks to the God of creation.
Give thanks to the Lord of the earth
His mercy endures for ever.
Give thanks to the Lord
who formed the farmland of our country
from the dark richness of the fens,
to the drystone heath,
the diversity of the Wold
and the wildness of the hills;
His mercy endures for ever.
Give thanks to the Lord
who nurtures our crops-
casual swathes of cereal, oilseed and pulses,
grassland and legume,
regimented rows of bulbs, roots and brassica;
His mercy endures for ever.
Give thanks to the Lord
who sustains us-
from seed carried randomly on the wind
to the precision of the satellite map,
from the strain on a single collar
to the thrust of 200 horse power,
from the song of the skylark
to the sound of local radio in a tractor cab;
His mercy endures for ever.
Give thanks to the Lord
who provides for our livestock-
on open pasture or straw bedded yard,
in chill iron ’n concrete market pens
or temperature - controlled unit;
His mercy endures for ever.
Give thanks to the Lord
who is both guide and teacher;
who shapes our husbandry and education -
for the legacy of Agricultural College and Farm Institute,
for Schools of Agriculture in Universities across the land,
His mercy endures for ever.
Give thanks to the Lord
who is always faithful,
who gave the countryside as an inheritance
and has lovingly entrusted it
to farmers and workers,
to lecturers and students,
and to all as stewards of his creation;
His mercy endures for ever.
Give thanks to the Lord
who is the One who cares for us -
through churches and support groups,
Agricultural Chaplains and Rural Officers;
and who gives us all that we need.
His mercy endures for ever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven
His mercy endures for ever.
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